Program

18:30

Welcome Networking Reception

Kursaal Casino, Erehal (Hall of Honour), Ostend [sponsored by Versluys Logistics]

09:00

Welcome remarks

Eric Dumas, Chief Executive Officer, Ostend-Bruges Airport

John Crombez, Mayor, City of Ostend

Conference chairmen:

Steven Polmans, Founder & CEO, Air Cargo Experts & Sara Van Gelder, Director of Products, Nallian

09:20

Current State of the Air Logistics Industry

Dr. Ludwig Hausmann, Senior Partner & Leader Logistics Practice, McKinsey & Company

09:35

The Big Picture – Executive  Panel

• Review of 2024
• Opportunities & Challenges for 2025
• How to cope with perpetual disruption?

Moderator: Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA

Dr. Stéphane Graber, Director General, FIATA-International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations
Diogo Elias, Sr. Vice President & Head of Avianca Cargo
Wilson Kwong, Chief Executive, Hactl – Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd.

10:40

Networking break – coffee

11:10

Global Air Freight Outlook 2025

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Wouter Dewulf, Professor, Air Transport & Cargo, University of Antwerp

Marco Bloemen, Managing Director, Aevean
Rogier Blocq, Director Product Development & Customer Support, WorldACD

11:45

Focus Global Trade

• The future of globalization and global trade
• How will changing trade policies affect global supply chains?
• Trade disruptions – The new normal?

Moderator: Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA

12:30

Lunch

13:30

Forwarders and the Future of Air Freight Supply Chain

Moderator: Danita Waterfall-Brizzi, Principal Cargo & Logistics Consultant, Hospitio

David Wystrach, Global Head of Airfreight, Scan Global Logistics
Jody Paulus, Chief Executive Officer, Optitune Oy
David Bellon, Head of Airfreight Belgium, DHL Global Forwarding

14:15

The Role of Regional/Secondary Airports

• How can regional/secondary airports step-up cargo operations?
• The role of intra-modality
• Needed infrastructure improvements

Moderator: Joeri Aulman, Regional Manager, NACO

Prof. Dr. Yvonne Ziegler, Professor for Business Administration, International Aviation Management, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Youri Busaan, Director, Air Cargo & Asset Management, Groupe ADP
Kaspar Andreas Nissen, Senior Manager, Air Cargo, Billund Airport
Dean Boljuncic, Head of Commercial Development, Maastricht Aachen Airport

15:30

E-Commerce – Latest Trends & Developments

• The capacity crunch – how to deal with it?
• Future of e-commerce

Moderator: Steven Verhasselt, Founder, Cargo Strat & Founder and Director, FB Cargo Strategy HK

Kendy Choi, Director, Commercial & Partnership Regional Hub Services, Cainiao Group
Nikolai Schaffner, Vice President E-Commerce, Swissport International
Craig Strickland, CSO, BoxC

16:15

Freighter Availability & Future Demand

• Update next-generation widebody freighters
• Future demand for cargo aircraft

Moderator: David Kerr, Consultant, JTD Advisory

John Skelly, Business Development Director, Airbus
Richard Broekman, Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sustainability, Atlas Air Worldwide
Peter Scholten, Chief Commercial Officer, Air One Aviation

17:00

Sustainability – What to expect in coming years?

Moderator: Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA

Anna-Maria Kirchner, Head of Global Sales, Finnair Cargo
Dr. Fabiano Piccinno, Air Logistics Global Head of Sustainability, Kuehne + Nagel
Drs. Francine Carron, Founder, ESG-Consultance N.V.

17:30

End conference day 1

17:45

Departure by bus to Bruges

Air Cargo Executive Networking Party –
World Heritage Site Edition (Party hours 19:15-22:30)

Location: Provinciaal Hof (Provincial Court) in the medieval center of Bruges, Grote Markt 3 (Central Market Square). Networking Dinner. Possibility to see Bruges by night – Europe’s most beautiful city! Nearest parking if you arrive by car: Interparking Brugge-Biekorf, Naaldenstraat 8, Brugge.

09:00

Regional Airports Compared with Major Hubs – How to Create Excellence in their Competitive Edge?

• Latest developments on how regional airports can gain market share from major cargo hubs
• How to understand the needs and requirements of cargo air carriers?

Moderator: Joeri Aulman, Regional Manager, NACO

Eric Dumas, Chief Executive Officer, Ostend Bruges Airport
Erlan Ospanov, Chief of the Board & Owner, Karaganda Airport
Zachary D. Oakley, Executive Director, Chicago Rockford International Airport
Joachim von Winning, Director Cargo Partnerships, Frankfurt Airport

09:45

AI – Opportunities for the Air Logistics Industry

• Assessing the real benefits for various parties in the air logistics industry
• Future outlook AI
• What to expect from digitalization in general

Moderator: Damien de Chillaz, Chief Executive Officer, KatalX

Matt Petot, Chief Executive Officer, Cargo Ai
Edip Pektas, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Airblox
Antonia Ambrozy, Commercial Director, WebCargo by Freightos
Marcus Schelin, Chief Executive Officer, Cind
Dimitar Todorov, Innovation Manager, Danlex 78

11:00

Networking break – coffee

11:30

The Future of Air Cargo – Executive Panel

• Review of challenges and opportunities
• Industry collaboration – buzz word or reality?
• Adapting business models to disruption
• Serving the customer – future perspectives

Moderator: Geert Aerts, Chief Cargo & Real Estate Officer, Brussels Airport

Markus Ek, Chief Executive Officer, SAS Cargo
Captain Ehab El-Tahatawy, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Egyptair Cargo
Mike Duggan, Head of Cargo, Oman Air
Jasraj S. Chug, Co-Founder & Director, CargoFlash Infotech Pvt Ltd

12:30

Intramodal Supply Chains

• The real benefits of linking air-sea-rail coming years
• Who will take the lead?

Moderator: Soufiane Daher, Expert, McKinsey & Company

Peter Roberts, Freight Commercial Strategy Director, Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle Freight
Philippe Beaujean, International Business Development Advisor, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Lars J.T. Droog, Global Director, Logistics Strategy & Corporate Sustainability, Cytek Biosciences

13:15

Lunch

16:00

Which Trends will Influence our World in the next years?

Peter Hinssen
Entrepreneur, Key Note speaker & Author

Biography:
Peter is a world class thought leader on technological evolution, innovation strategy and adaptive leadership. He is a top ranked keynote speaker, bestselling author, business school lecturer, LinkedIn Top Voice, serial entrepreneur, trusted board member and passionate startup investor. He has collaborated with leading brands like Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Accenture, LVMH, Hermes, HP, Microsoft, Bloomberg, Gartner, Danone, Chanel, LinkedIn, HSBC, Airbus, Sanofi, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Honeywell, SAS and many more. He also lectures at renowned business schools like the London Business School and the MIT Sloan School of Management. Peter likes to describe himself as a pathological optimist.